Life on Mars Sam's Badge

[Silent Soldier]

Hello I am not sure if anyone can help me but I thought I would try, this is for anyone who has seen the show I was wondering if someone could help me ID Sam's police badge. I have been trying for some time now without much success does anyone know if it was a real badge they used or a prop that they made specifically for the show. I was hoping to get both the badge and wallet to hold it, any help would be greatly appreciated .

Here are two pictures I found

 

[shuktuki]

just did a quick google search
its a standard uk police badge
there plenty of images on the web
oh also found this link
http://www.matthawkins.co.uk/item-26.html
hope its useful

 

[Blad]

It's a standard Greater Manchester Police badge, but I seem to remember in one episode Sam comments on the name of the force as it had an interim name that was only used for a short time in the '70s, can't remember what it was though!

 

[Blad]

Found it:

Manchester and Salford Police was a short-lived police force in England from June 1, 1968 to April 1, 1974. It was created as a merger of the Manchester City Police and Salford City Police, and covered the adjacent county boroughs of Manchester and Salford. It was amalgamated under the Local Government Act 1972 with parts of the Lancashire Constabulary and Cheshire Constabulary to form Greater Manchester Police.

However it appears that Sam was not using the Manchester & Salford badge:

But was using the Greater Manchester Police badge:

 

[shuktuki]

nice find

 

[Silent Soldier]

Thanks for the replies interesting finds but I did see most of that in my search. Blad I first thought it was a Greater Manchester Police badge but I was watching some episodes again and Sams' badge from what I saw did not have any words on it or any color it was just silver, maybe it was Greater Manchester Police badge but they modified it alittle? If anyone has any other thoughts or ideas I would like to hear them otherwise I guess I will have to go with the Greater Manchester Police badge.

 

[Nicky]

hi i 95% sure its a metropolitan police badge

 

[Nicky]

this one possabley customized

http://www.policelot.com/photos/Low res pics/Met cap badge.JPG

 

[Blad]

Thanks for the replies interesting finds but I did see most of that in my search. Blad I first thought it was a Greater Manchester Police badge but I was watching some episodes again and Sams' badge from what I saw did not have any words on it or any color it was just silver, maybe it was Greater Manchester Police badge but they modified it alittle? If anyone has any other thoughts or ideas I would like to hear them otherwise I guess I will have to go with the Greater Manchester Police badge.

It's possibly just the plain silver version of the badge, which is exactly the same as the London Met. badge and lots of other UK police forces.

However as Nicky says it's probably a London Met. badge.

Funny thing is, a friend of mine in the early 90's was a Metropolitan Police CID officer and all he had was a plastic ID card and paper business cards! No metal badge, no wallet.

 

[sd1138]

Good Luck, I've been looking for that for a while now.

It is indeed a Metro police "badge". I put that in quotes because actaully it is a cap badge. As far as I know, police in England don't have "badges" like how we have them in the U.S. (worn over the heart on the chest), but rather cap badges or cap devices.

The problem I have seen is that the number of "dots" in the star point section varies from badge to badge.

Also to note that there is something akin to silver duck tape (but smoother) that is on the badge to block out the metropolitian police blue part. I can't do screencaps, but the scene in which Sam takes out his wallet for the first time in the first episode, when they show the closeup of the badge and ID card you can even see the outline of the metro letters where the tape has sunken into the letters.

 

[UFO]

if thats a cap badge, then its a woman's cap badge.... the "woodentop" cap badges are HUGE, and would no way fit in that wallet.

 

[sd1138]

There is no woman's cap badge as far as I have seen. That is a "cap" badge, not the helmet badge if that's the badge you mentioned. It's the kind of cap with the brim and back and white checker patters around the outside of the headband.

From what I've researched each department has their own cap badge and the style changes depending on the year. The one that Sam uses is a modern London metro cap badge. Google searches turns up two dealers who have both sold out of theirs, yet haven't updated their sites.

 

[UFO]

you are right. the woman's hat badge and the mans cap badge are the same, i forgot that the men wear caps sometimes too....

 

[Blad]

Do you want me to make one?

Would be easier than my Terry Pratchett Ankh-Morpork City Watch badge:

The badge could be customised to say Manchester & Salford if you like.

 

[Silent Soldier]

Do you want me to make one?

Would be easier than my Terry Pratchett Ankh-Morpork City Watch badge:

The badge could be customised to say Manchester & Salford if you like.

Well that would save me alot of trouble you have made some great pieces so I have no doubt it would come out great. I would want it to be an exact replica so there is no need for it to say Manchester & Salford, it would all depend on the price .

 

[Blad]

Well I want one so this wouldn't really be a commission.

Probably £10? Wallets would be cheaper in the US I should imagine.

 

[Silent Soldier]

Well I want one so this wouldn't really be a commission.

Probably £10? Wallets would be cheaper in the US I should imagine.

Yes I would like one that would be great, as for wallets being cheaper I live in the US it depends what kind of wallet I have not found one yet that matches Sam's it had his ID and a flap to cover it I believe.

 

[sd1138]

Well I want one so this wouldn't really be a commission.

Probably £10? Wallets would be cheaper in the US I should imagine.

I'd be interesed as well!

 

[Nicky]

me too Intrested

 

[Invicta]

Count me in for one, well actually for my wife. she loves the show and I had to get both seasons from the UK along with a region free DVD to play the damn things.

So if Charlie goes ahead I'm in:thumbsup